Post by Lisa on Jan 11, 2010 6:15:28 GMT 10
Title: Family Planning
Rating: PG
Midwinter Advent Prompt: #2- Family
Summary: Owen and Margarry talk about some of the most important expectations in marriage.
At dawn Prosper came out of the Chamber of the Ordeal, looking like he’d been chewed up and spit out, just as all of them had. As soon as he stumbled across the threshold into the chapel, he held out his hand and conjured a small ball of white magic. Owen recalled his Gifted friends talking about the uselessness of magic in the Chamber – perhaps Prosper had felt like his had been drained completely.
He sagged against his knight-master and was led out of the chapel, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He was completely oblivious to the cheers from the onlookers. The only attention he paid to the crowd was when his father stepped away from the throng and clasped his arm. At that point Prosper looked up and smiled weakly.
Owen felt the pressure of a hand against his back. Daisy. He knew it was her because she always came up to him like this in crowds, simply setting her hand on his shoulder blade and waiting for him to turn to her.
“Do you have a moment?” she whispered up to him, barely audible over the sounds of clapping and cheering.
He looked back at her, surprised to see that she had her lush red cloak on. And was holding his in her arms.
“Come with me,” she commanded, taking his hand in hers and leading him through the crowd. He complied, curiosity getting the better of him. She took him through an unfamiliar hall, handing him his cloak and telling him to put it on.
“We’re going to the stables,” she explained, walking ahead of him. When they finally reached their destination, she surprised him yet again by climbing up into the hayloft, where they were greeted by tiny mews.
A palace cat had given birth to kittens – probably within the last few hours.
Margarry sat down carefully near the tiny mama, tucking her skirts under her. Owen joined her.
“Aren’t they perfect?” she asked, beaming at him.
He nodded. The five kittens were tiny – he could easily fit two in his hands at once – and fluffy, with striped fur. Two were nursing while others were exploring blindly around in the hay. He liked the way they would take several steps and sniff, and always find their way back to their mother and sibling.
“Can I hold one, do you think?” he asked, watching Margarry stroke the mama cat’s head.
Margarry shrugged. “I’m not used to cats. Our dogs never seem to mind, though. Try it – we’ll know if she stops purring, won’t we?”
He lifted one of the kittens, placing one hand around its middle and the other beneath its feet, so the wee thing wouldn’t panic at being airborn. Then he cradled it against his chest, stroking its head with one finger. “They’re so soft and fuzzy.”
“And the mama doesn’t seem to mind too much,” Margarry pointed out. It was true – she kept her eyes on Owen and the kitten, but her purring had not ceased.
They petted the kittens in silence, enjoying their tiny little sounds. Finally Margarry spoke. “Do you want to have lots of children, Owen?”
He hadn’t really thought of it. “I suppose a couple would be nice, eventually. Do you want lots?”
She shrugged. “I’ll be honest – after being with Sunarine when she had her baby, I don’t know if I want any. It sounds so painful. But I guess every mother goes through it and says it’s worth it, so maybe I’ll change my mind.”
“We don’t have to have any,” Owen replied, setting the kitten down by its mama. “It would be fun to have some – eventually – bit it’s not mandatory.” He wasn’t going to inherit Jesslaw, so there really wasn’t any issue of succession, since his older brother had two sons.
She smiled gratefully at him. “The idea of having a family seems nice – but I don’t want it right away. I don’t want to be like my sisters, who had children within the first year of marriage. I’d rather just have you and me together for a while.”
He grinned. “You want to keep me for yourself?”
Margarry laughed. “Maybe I do!”
“I like the sound of that,” Owen admitted. He picked up another little explorer and handed it to her. “We can have babies if and when you want them. I’m not going to complain.”
And together they sat in the hayloft for the rest of the morning, cuddling with the new kittens and planning their future together.
Rating: PG
Midwinter Advent Prompt: #2- Family
Summary: Owen and Margarry talk about some of the most important expectations in marriage.
At dawn Prosper came out of the Chamber of the Ordeal, looking like he’d been chewed up and spit out, just as all of them had. As soon as he stumbled across the threshold into the chapel, he held out his hand and conjured a small ball of white magic. Owen recalled his Gifted friends talking about the uselessness of magic in the Chamber – perhaps Prosper had felt like his had been drained completely.
He sagged against his knight-master and was led out of the chapel, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He was completely oblivious to the cheers from the onlookers. The only attention he paid to the crowd was when his father stepped away from the throng and clasped his arm. At that point Prosper looked up and smiled weakly.
Owen felt the pressure of a hand against his back. Daisy. He knew it was her because she always came up to him like this in crowds, simply setting her hand on his shoulder blade and waiting for him to turn to her.
“Do you have a moment?” she whispered up to him, barely audible over the sounds of clapping and cheering.
He looked back at her, surprised to see that she had her lush red cloak on. And was holding his in her arms.
“Come with me,” she commanded, taking his hand in hers and leading him through the crowd. He complied, curiosity getting the better of him. She took him through an unfamiliar hall, handing him his cloak and telling him to put it on.
“We’re going to the stables,” she explained, walking ahead of him. When they finally reached their destination, she surprised him yet again by climbing up into the hayloft, where they were greeted by tiny mews.
A palace cat had given birth to kittens – probably within the last few hours.
Margarry sat down carefully near the tiny mama, tucking her skirts under her. Owen joined her.
“Aren’t they perfect?” she asked, beaming at him.
He nodded. The five kittens were tiny – he could easily fit two in his hands at once – and fluffy, with striped fur. Two were nursing while others were exploring blindly around in the hay. He liked the way they would take several steps and sniff, and always find their way back to their mother and sibling.
“Can I hold one, do you think?” he asked, watching Margarry stroke the mama cat’s head.
Margarry shrugged. “I’m not used to cats. Our dogs never seem to mind, though. Try it – we’ll know if she stops purring, won’t we?”
He lifted one of the kittens, placing one hand around its middle and the other beneath its feet, so the wee thing wouldn’t panic at being airborn. Then he cradled it against his chest, stroking its head with one finger. “They’re so soft and fuzzy.”
“And the mama doesn’t seem to mind too much,” Margarry pointed out. It was true – she kept her eyes on Owen and the kitten, but her purring had not ceased.
They petted the kittens in silence, enjoying their tiny little sounds. Finally Margarry spoke. “Do you want to have lots of children, Owen?”
He hadn’t really thought of it. “I suppose a couple would be nice, eventually. Do you want lots?”
She shrugged. “I’ll be honest – after being with Sunarine when she had her baby, I don’t know if I want any. It sounds so painful. But I guess every mother goes through it and says it’s worth it, so maybe I’ll change my mind.”
“We don’t have to have any,” Owen replied, setting the kitten down by its mama. “It would be fun to have some – eventually – bit it’s not mandatory.” He wasn’t going to inherit Jesslaw, so there really wasn’t any issue of succession, since his older brother had two sons.
She smiled gratefully at him. “The idea of having a family seems nice – but I don’t want it right away. I don’t want to be like my sisters, who had children within the first year of marriage. I’d rather just have you and me together for a while.”
He grinned. “You want to keep me for yourself?”
Margarry laughed. “Maybe I do!”
“I like the sound of that,” Owen admitted. He picked up another little explorer and handed it to her. “We can have babies if and when you want them. I’m not going to complain.”
And together they sat in the hayloft for the rest of the morning, cuddling with the new kittens and planning their future together.